Objective To explore the prognostic significance of baseline clinical and pulmonary physiological variables on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( IPF) .
Methods Patients diagnosed with IPF according to 2011 ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT statementwere selected from Nanjing DrumTower Hospital between January 1, 2002 and July 31, 2010. The baseline characteristics were abstracted, including age, gender, smoking history, corticosteroid, delay before diagnosis, body mass index, finger clubbing, oxygenation index ( PaO2 /FiO2 ) , C-reaction protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR) , serum lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH) , albumin, vital capacity ( VC) , forced vital capacity ( FVC) , total lung capacity ( TLC) , and singlebreath diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide ( DLCO) . The relationships between all factors and survival were examined with a univariate Cox proportional-hazard model. Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the survival probabilities between groups with different baseline characteristics.
Results Eighty-four patients were included in this study, with the median survival time of 34. 7 months. PaO2 /FiO2 , FVC% pred, VC% pred, TLC% pred, and DLCO% pred showed significant associations with the mortality of IPF ( hazard ratios 0. 940-0. 994, P lt; 0. 01) . The Kaplan-Meier analyses for above variables also showed significant differences ( P lt;0. 05) . Besides, the statistical difference of survival probability could be found between the patients with elevated serumLDH and those with normal LDH ( 27. 0 months vs. 43. 1 months, P =0. 014) .
Conclusions Baseline oxygenation and pulmonary function parameters may indicate the prognosis of IPF patients. Serum LDH may provide clinicians with additional prognostic information.
Citation: LI Yan,MIAO Liyun,JIANG Hanyi,DING Jingjing,XIAO Yonglong,CAI Hourong,ZHANG Deping. Retrospective Study on Prognostic Factors of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Chinese Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2012, 11(3): 257-261. doi: Copy